a house is not a home »
A home is not merely a building but requires inhabitants and a friendly atmosphere.
|
a miss is as good as a mile »
A failure remains a failure, regardless of how close to success one has actually come.
|
a riddle wrapped up in an enigma »
Something very mysterious and hidden.
|
admiral of the blue »
A landlord or publican wearing a blue apron, as was formerly the custom among men of that vocation.
|
against the clock »
In a time-restricted manner, to meet a deadline, hurriedly, timed.
|
all at once »
Unexpectedly; without warning; all of a sudden.
|
all eyes »
Gazing at devotedly.
|
all of the sudden »
Suddenly, rapidly.
|
apple does not fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient
|
as a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly »
Foolish people repeatedly do foolish things.
|
back in the day »
In the past; at one time, especially a time which is fondly remembered.
|
bad joke »
A situation that is badly planned, or illogical.
|
bad penny »
A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.
|
balls-up »
Something which becomes muddled or botched in some way.
|
bang on about »
To keep talking endlessly about the same subject.
|
barrel »
A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical container made of metal, usually called a drum.
|
bash in »
To break or dent badly by hitting violently.
|
bastardly gullion »
A bastard's bastard.
|
beat the crap out of »
To beat really badly.
|
beat the shit out of »
To beat really badly.
|
beat up »
To feel badly guilty and accuse oneself over something. Usually followed by over.
|
beat up »
Repeatedly bomb a military target or targets.
|
beat up »
To verbally assault repeatedly.
|
beddy-bye »
Bedtime for a toddler, going to sleep, going to bed.
|
better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness »
In the face of bad times or hopelessness, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, in response than to complain about the situation.
|
blaze a trail »
To show the way or proceed rapidly.
|
bone idle »
lazy
|
born with a silver spoon in one's mouth »
Note. The original nautical expression is just born with a silver spoon and describes those young gentlemen who were able to enter the Royal Navy without examination and whose promotion was assured. the converse was born with a wooden ladle.
|
brass-neck »
To behave boldly or shamelessly.
|
break out »
To separate from a bundle.
|
bum around »
To wander around idly to no purpose; to loaf or loiter.
|
bum rap »
An undeservedly unfavorable portrayal or reputation.
|
bum steer »
Bad advice, regardless of intention.
|
bundle of energy »
One who is especially lively, continually active, or industrious.
|
bundle of energy »
The energy associated with being lively, continually active, or industrious.
|
bundle of joy »
A newborn baby.
|
bundle of joy »
A pet.
|
bundle of nerves »
A lively, continually active person.
|
bundle of nerves »
A person with an especially nervous, excitable, or fearful disposition.
|
burn one's candle at both ends »
To work extremely or excessively hard; to work too hard for good health or peace of mind.
|
burn rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
busy work »
Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.
|
by leaps and bounds »
Rapidly. Said of making progress.
|
cake crumbs »
Hardly anything.
|
call 'em as one sees 'em »
To candidly and honestly express an opinion or viewpoint.
|
camel through the eye of a needle »
Hyperbole to illustrate that something is almost impossible to do or to happen.
|
cast off »
To finish the last row of knitted stitches and remove them securely from the needle.
|
cast on »
To start the first row of knitting by putting stitches on a needle.
|
castle in the air »
A visionary project or scheme; a day-dream; an idle fancy; a pipe dream; any plan, desire, or idea that is unlikely to be ever realized; a near impossibility.
|
cat and mouse game »
Two individuals and/or groups repeatedly keeping check on each other in a suspicious or self-protective way, often with the goal of one or both parties trying to gain a malicious advantage over the other.
|
cat's cradle »
A children's string game.
|
cat's cradle »
Any complicated structure which appears to be without purpose.
|
catch flies »
An ostensible product of awkwardly having one's mouth open wide.
|
catmeat »
Someone who has been badly beaten.
|
center field »
The defensive position in the outfield in the middle, typically played by a player that can run fast.
|
chat up »
In a friendly, open, or casual manner, sometimes also in a charming or affected manner, usually to curry favor, and sometimes flirtatiously with the intention of establishing a romantic or sexual encounter or relationship with that person.
|
cheaper by the dozen »
Things are handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.
|
chew the fat »
To chat idly or generally waste time talking.
|
come a cropper »
To fall headlong from a horse.
|
come hell or high water »
Regardless of the hardships.
|
come to a head »
To rapidly come to a turning point.
|
come up »
To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly; to come to attention, present itself.
|
comfort woman »
A woman forced, or supposedly recruited, into brothels by the Japanese occupation forces during World War II.
|
con man »
swindler
|
conk out »
To fall fast asleep; to sleep soundly.
|
cop a feel »
To stealthily fondle someone in a sexual manner.
|
cradle robber »
A person who marries or becomes romantically involved with someone who is much younger or who employs or otherwise engages a young person for a purpose inappropriate for his or her age.
|
crop up »
To occur, especially suddenly or unexpectedly.
|
cry the blues »
To complain, especially in order to obtain sympathy for one's own purportedly sad situation.
|
curveball »
A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve".
|
cut a wide swath »
To clear a broad track through a grassland, woodland, geographical region, or other area, either by natural means or by human action.
|
dark horse »
A candidate who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice.
|
dead as a dodo »
Undoubtedly and unquestionably dead.
|
dead of night »
Middle of the night.
|
deer in the headlights »
A mental state of high arousal caused by anxiety fear, panic, surpriseand/or confusion, or substance abuse. The behavioral signs are like a deer subjected to a car's headlights, such as widely opened eyes and a lack of motor reactions.
|
dirty old man »
An adult male - usually middle-aged or elderly - who acts in a lecherous or lewd manner.
|
dive in »
To start a new endeavor enthusiastically and wholeheartedly.
|
down to the wire »
At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline.
|
drag one's feet »
To procrastinate, put off; to dawdle, avoid, or make progress slowly and reluctantly.
|
drama queen »
Any exaggeratedly dramatic person.
|
end up »
To conclude, turn out, sometimes unexpectedly.
|
end up »
To arrive at a destination, sometimes unexpectedly.
|
fair and square »
Totally fairly and undoubtedly.
|
fair to middling »
Only tolerably good.
|
faith will move mountains »
Belief in oneself (read sometimes as belief in God) can help one overcome any hurdle in life's path.
|
fiddle faddle »
nonsense
|
fire off »
To ask an unexpected question rapidly.
|
fit as a fiddle »
Perfectly fit; in excellent health.
|
flap one's gums »
To speak idly; to talk without effect.
|
flutter in the dovecote »
I further argued that the principal cause for the political deadlock that persisted for thirty years after the guns fell silent was Israeli intransigence rather than Arab intransigence. The appearance of the first wave of revisionist studies excited a great deal of interest and controversy in the media and more than a flutter in the academic dovecote. — Israel Confronts Its Past.
|
fly off the handle »
To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.
|
fly-by-night »
Businesses that appear and disappear rapidly, or that give an impression of transience.
|
full tilt »
As quickly as possible; very rapidly.
|
get a handle on »
To build or acquire a basic level of understanding or control.
|
get busy »
Start working, usually in opposition to idleness.
|
get the bacon bad »
To be morbidly obese.
|
give away the store »
To transact, trade, or negotiate badly, by paying, providing, or conceding too much to the other party.
|
give somebody an earful »
To shout very loudly at someone.
|
go down the pan »
To fail or degenerate rapidly.
|
go down the tubes »
To fail or degenerate rapidly.
|
go round in circles »
To repeatedly do the same thing; without making any progress.
|
gongoozle »
To observe things idly.
|
good old boy »
A friendly, unambitious, relatively uneducated, sometimes racially biased white man who embodies the stereotype of the folksy culture of the rural southern USA.
|
goof off »
To dawdle; to engage in idle activity or inactivity.
|
grass widow »
A mother out of wedlock.
|
green state »
A state that is, or is perceived as, environmentally friendly.
|
greenwash »
A false or misleading picture of environmental friendliness used to conceal or obscure damaging activities.
|
grin like a Cheshire cat »
To smile broadly, especially in a self-satisfied way.
|
ham it up »
To act or emote, especially to overact or act badly.
|
handle with kid gloves »
To treat something very delicately or carefully.
|
have a handle on »
To be in control; to understand or grasp.
|
have a heart »
To be kind or sympathetic; to treat others kindly.
|
have been around »
To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive.
|
have one's heart set on »
To want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality.
|
high noon »
Exactly noon; midday; the middle of the day.
|
hit the headlines »
To appear prominently in the news, especially on the front page.
|
hold a candle »
To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.
|
horse around »
To play or fiddle; to clown; to do nothing of importance or consequence.
|
horses for courses »
A person suited for one job may not be suited for another job, regardless of their expertise in the former job.
|
hotfoot it »
To hasten; to move rapidly.
|
if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen »
If you cannot handle the pressure, you should not be in a position where you have to deal with it.
|
ill advisedly »
unwisely
|
in the short run »
Lasting only a short time, shortsightedly.
|
it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God »
The rich can afford more immoral behavior than the poor.
|
jack up »
To ruin; wreck; mess up; screw up; sometimes as a bowdlerized substitution for f** up.
|
jug ears »
Ears whose plane is markedly not parallel to the plane of the head.
|
jump »
To propel oneself rapidly upward such that momentum causes the body to become airborne.
|
jump rope »
The activity, game or exercise in which a person must jump, bounce or skip repeatedly while a length of rope is swung over and under, both ends held in the hands of the jumper, or alternately, held by two other participants. Often used for athletic training and among schoolchildren. Variations involve speed, chants, varied rope and jumper movement patterns, multiple jumpers and/or multiple ropes.
|
jump rope »
The length of rope, sometimes with handles, casing or other additions, used in that activity.
|
just like that »
Unexpectedly, without warning.
|
keep on truckin' »
To continue or persist, regardless of circumstances or setbacks; to keep trying or striving.
|
kick up a fuss »
To show annoyance, or to complain loudly about something, often when it is of little importance in reality.
|
kit and caboodle »
Everything entirely, the whole lot.
|
kit and kaboodle »
Everything; the lot.
|
knock up »
To impregnate, especially out of wedlock. See knocked up.
|
last minute »
Point in time, too close to a deadline to reasonably begin a critical task.
|
lay rubber »
To accelerate so rapidly from standstill that it leaves a mark of burnt rubber on the road from the tire.
|
lead »
I would have the tower two stories, and goodly leads upon the top. — Bacon.
|
leaf through »
Rapidly reading short sections at random.
|
let sleeping dogs lie »
To leave things as they are; especially, to avoid restarting or rekindling an old argument; to leave disagreements in the past.
|
lick one's chops »
To look forward avidly to eating something.
|
light middleweight »
type of boxer
|
like gangbusters »
Vigorously, rapidly, zealously, or forcibly; in a manner which has considerable impact.
|
like nobody's business »
In an extreme manner; rapidly; excessively; like crazy.
|
like the new time »
Furiously or vigorously, repeatedly.
|
lily-livered »
Cowardly, lacking bravery.
|
little pitchers have big ears »
Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire.1844, Charlotte M. Yonge, Abbeychurch, ch. 2:Seeing me listening to something she was saying to Mamma, she turned round upon me with that odious proverb, "Little pitchers have long ears."1939, "Bedtime Bedlam," Time, 17 Apr.:A caution to U. S. parents, but a joy to radio merchandising, is the dread truth that little pitchers have big ears.2002, Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ISBN 9780743455961, p. 185:I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).
|
long arm »
A pole tool used for handling things too far away to reach.
|
long finger »
Middle finger.
|
make a pig's ear of »
To do badly; to make a mess of.
|
march to the beat of a different drum »
To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and expectations.
|
meatball surgery »
A nickname for surgery that is meant to be performed rapidly to stabilize the patient as quickly as possible.
|
mess around »
To fiddle idly.
|
mess up »
To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin.
|
mess up »
To manhandle; beat up; rough up.
|
middle ground »
A compromise position between extremes.
|
middle ground »
The middle distance.
|
middle of nowhere »
Nowhere; any place lacking population, interesting things, or defining characteristics.
|
middle of the road »
Having a centrist attitude or philosophy; not extreme, especially politically.
|
middle of the road »
Of a type of melodic popular music that has wide appeal.
|
moses basket »
portable cradle
|
muck about »
To do random unplanned work or spend time idly.
|
needle in a haystack »
Something that is difficult or impossible to locate; something impossibly complex or intractable.
|
no brainer »
Something that supposedly doesn’t take much intellectual thought. Whoever says that something is a no brainer is usually the one with no brains.
|
no matter »
regardless of
|
no matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney »
Regardless of how many clever points or fine distinctions one makes, what one is saying is still false or is still nonsense.
|
not a pretty sight »
Something visually unappealing, ranging from mildly unattractive to utterly disgusting in appearance.
|
not win for losing »
To repeatedly fail in one's gambles or efforts.
|
nut-cutting time »
Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.
|
off-the-wall »
Wildly unconventional; bizarre; absurd.
|
on good terms with »
Friendly towards; having good relations with.
|
on pins and needles »
Feeling sharp anticipation or anxiety; in a state of suspense.
|
on the double »
Rapidly or immediately.
|
on the outs »
On unfriendly terms; estranged.
|
one can't hold two watermelons in one hand »
do not attempt to take on more than you can handle
|
one candle short of a box »
not bright; stupid
|
ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny »
(biology, social sciences, art, philosophy) The physical, cultural, moral, or intellectual development of each individual passes through stages similar to the developmental stages of that individual's species, society, or civilization.1905, J. A. Harris, "The Importance of Investigations of Seedling Stages," Science, New Series, vol. 22, no. 554, p. 186:With reference to seedling stages the statement that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny must be made with great reserve.1961, M. E. Wolfgang, "Pioneers in Criminology: Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)," The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, vol. 52, no. 4, p. 367:Haeckel maintained that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, and this idea was incorporated by Lombroso into his parallelism between the criminal and the child.2002, B. S. Jackson, "Models in Legal History: The Case of Biblical Law," Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 11:For even if we accept that "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," those responsible for the drafting of ancient legal documents were not children, and are hardly to be endowed with some form of infantile mentality.
|
out of one's depth »
To be in a situation which one is poorly prepared or unprepared to handle.
|
out of reach »
The adult magazines were out of reach of toddlers.
|
out of the blue »
Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.
|
out of wedlock »
Of parents not legally married.
|
over and over »
Repeatedly; again and again; many times.
|
painting rocks »
Pointless or futile work organised by the government, supposedly to increase employment but in fact merely disguising the unemployment level.
|
pay the fiddler »
To contribute in order to participate.
|
pay the fiddler »
To face the consequences of one’s actions..
|
peel out »
To start abruptly from a standing stop, accelerating rapidly, especially so as to produce skid marks.
|
peter out »
To dwindle; to trail off; to diminish to nothing.
|
pick up stitches »
Stitches to the knitting needle that were previously bound off, or that belong to the selvage, during the process of knitting or entrelac.
|
pickin' and grinnin' »
Vigorously playing folk or country music on a stringed musical instrument, especially the guitar or banjo, while smiling broadly.
|
piss and moan »
To complain, especially needlessly and loudly.
|
play second fiddle »
To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.
|
play someone like a fiddle »
Skilfully.
|
plead the fifth »
To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak, especially when the response would reflect badly on the speaker.
|
puddle jumper »
A small passenger airplane, typically used for shorter connecting trips to smaller airports.
|
push one's luck »
To take an excessive risk or to attempt some task unlikely to succeed, especially after having already been unexpectedly lucky.
|
Rabbit »
Caught like a rabbit in the headlights.
|
rag the puck »
To retain possession of the puck by skillful skating and stickhandling without attempting to score, as a deliberate tactic intended to use up time.
|
rain or shine »
Regardless of what the circumstances are, and how the weather is.
|
rake »
A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.
|
ramp up »
To increase rapidly to a new value.
|
ride tall in the saddle »
To act or conduct oneself in a manner that is imposing, impressive, resolute, or manly.
|
ride tall in the saddle »
To ride a horse in an erect, imposing manner.
|
ring out »
To sound very loudly.
|
rip off »
To steal, cheat or swindle.
|
rob the cradle »
To marry or become romantically involved with a much younger person.
|
rob the cradle »
To use a young person for a purpose inappropriate to his or her age.
|
rock up »
To turn up to a place or function unexpectedly, or without notice or prior warning.
|
rocket scientist »
Someone qualified to understand or handle that which is overly complex, detailed or confusing; a genius.
|
rough up »
To manhandle or beat up.
|
rub up against »
Of pets. To touch a person's body in a friendly manner, seeking attention.
|
saw wood »
To snore loudly.
|
scream bloody murder »
To protest loudly or angrily.
|
second childhood »
A childlike state in any adult, resulting from mental illness, trauma, or other conditions.
|
second childhood »
The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.
|
second fiddle »
A fiddle part in harmony to the first fiddle.
|
second fiddle »
A sidekick or subordinate, or the role of such a person.
|
second fiddle »
The person playing second fiddle.
|
shake the pagoda tree »
To find a source of easy enrichment; to become absurdly rich in a short time.
|
shoot first and ask questions later »
To act boldly.
|
shoot the breeze »
To chat idly or generally waste time talking.
|
shoot the bull »
To chinwag; to talk idly.
|
shuffle »
A rhythm commonly used in blues music. Consists of a series of triplet notes with the middle note missing, so that it sounds like a long note followed by a short note. Sounds like a walker dragging one foot.
|
snake oil »
A type of 19th century patent medicine sold in the United States that claimed to contain snake fat, supposedly a Native American remedy for various ailments.
|
something awful »
Intensely or extremely; badly; in the worst way.
|
space out »
To plant seedlings etc at regular intervals with a calculated space between them.
|
spanner »
A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.
|
speak up »
To talk more loudly or plainly.
|
squeaky wheel gets the grease »
The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which he or she seeks.
|
start off on the wrong foot »
To begin badly; especially, to begin a relationship badly.
|
step on a rake »
To step on the tines of a garden rake, causing the handle of the rake to rise from the ground rapidly, invariably striking the person walking in the face.
|
stick one's nose in »
To be nosy; to meddle or interfere in the affairs of another.
|
stickhandle »
To deal capably and swiftly with a situation, especially in a manner which deflects potential problems.
|
stickhandle »
To maintain individual possession of the puck or ball by controlling it with movements of one's stick, especially to do so in a skillful manner.
|
suffer fools gladly »
To be tolerant of stupidity or incompetence in other people.
|
swear by »
To wholeheartedly trust.
|
take against »
To stop liking someone. Become unfriendly.
|
take apart »
To soundly defeat someone, or a team.
|
take kindly »
To accept or condone.
|
take up »
That which takes up or tightens; specifically, a device in a sewing machine for drawing up the slack thread as the needle rises, in completing a stitch.
|
tall in the saddle »
Imposing, impressive; resolute; manly.
|
thanks a bunch »
A mildly sarcastic thank you.
|
the finger »
An obscene gesture, typically consisting of extending the middle finger at somebody.
|
there's no accounting for taste »
When it comes to subjective matters of taste, people have wildly different opinions.Disagreements about matters of taste can't be objectively resolved.
|
third string »
Of a decidedly lower quality or condition.
|
through the roof »
Rapidly increasing.
|
throw a sickie »
To take a day off from work, supposedly because of ill health. The illness could be either real or feigned.
|
time after time »
Again and again; repeatedly; every time; always.
|
to be sure »
Admittedly, undoubtedly, certainly.
|
totus porcus »
Completely; unreservedly: swallowed the official version totus porcus.
|
toy with »
Handling something in a careless or frivolous manner.
|
turn up »
To show up; to appear suddenly or unexpectedly.
|
twiddle one's thumbs »
To circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored.
|
twiddle one's thumbs »
To wait or dawdle; to accomplish nothing useful or lack a useful occupation.
|
two-fisted drinker »
Either someone who can handle their liquor well, or an alcoholic clutching a drink in each hand.
|
under the wire »
At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.
|
unwashed masses »
Of people who are considered by someone to be somehow uneducated, uninformed, godless, or in some other way unqualified for inclusion in the speaker's elite circles.
|
up a creek without a paddle »
In a difficult situation, without any help. Superlative form of up a creek: most up a creek.
|
up shit creek without a paddle »
Alternative form of up the creek without a paddle.
|
up the creek without a paddle »
In a difficult situation with no means of rectifying it.
|
wail on »
To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.
|
walk in on »
To enter suddenly or unexpectedly while something is happening; to intrude or interrupt by entering.
|
walk on eggshells »
To be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.
|
waste breath »
To speak in a manner which is needless or futile; in discussion or argument to make points which are not appreciated or heeded.
|
weak sister »
A person who is cowardly or indecisive.
|
whale on »
To strike an opponent heavily and repeatedly in a fight.
|
willy nilly »
Seemingly at random, haphazardly.
|
wrap up »
To wear more clothes as protection from the weather; to bundle up.
|
you are what you eat »
If you eat well, you will be well; but if you eat badly you will feel bad
|
you knows it »
You're right; I wholeheartedly agree with your statement.
|
| BTW, Why won't you become an editor? |
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